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The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) Invites Public to Improve Organ Donation System

  • Data Source:Ministry of Health and Welfare
  • Created:2015-11-16
  • Last Updated:2017-01-10

Domestic organ donation have shown excellent results in recent years, and there has been a gradual increase of organ donations after death, with the number this year (2015) reaching a cumulative total of 225 people as of November 15. More than 800 organs have been donated, benefitting almost 700 people. According to statistics on the different types of organ donation, organ donation to domestic organizations has been increasing annually. For example, donations of corneas have increased by more than 50% compared to the donations made in 2012. Despite this rise in organ donation, the enthusiastic participation of locals is still required. (Statistical data is shown in chart). In addition, the number of locals signing agreements to become organ donation card holders has reached 30,000 annually, reaching approximately 300,000 people in total. 

In October 2014, the MOHW published the "Human Organ Transplant Allocation and Management Regulations" to establish the principles of organ allocation in the legal system. At the same time, the MOHW also incorporated the legal conditions for prioritization sorting for "Spouses and Third-Degree Blood Relatives Who Donate Organs After Death," which improves the chances for people who fit the criteria and who are in need of organ transplant to be the recipient of the organ. At present, 8 people have already benefited from this policy change. 
Because the domestic waiting list for kidney transplant has reached 6,498 people, the highest in the country among organ waiting lists, the MOHW amended Article 8 of the "Human Organ Transplant Ordiance" on July 1st of this year (2015). This shall allow those patients and family members who intend to donate their organs but are unable to because of medical factors (i.e. a poor match) to be paired with another group of people in a similar situation to carry out paired kidney transplants, thus giving those in need of kidney transplants another opportunity to receive a transplant. After amending the law, the Taiwan Organ Registry and Sharing Center invited hospitals to a conference. There, medical and ethics experts jointly examined cases of inter-hospital living donor paired kidney donation cases. For successful matches, after both the donor and the recipient agree to the match, the transplant is carried out. Related draft measures for these kinds of transplants will be announced in the near future. 


The "Regulations on Human Organ Transplant" were officially promulagated on June 19, 1987, nearly 30 years ago. To give thanks to those organ donors and families for their selfless dedication, the MOHW, under recommendation from various sectors, chose June 19th of each year as "Organ Donation Memorial Day," so that the love and courage of each organ donor will not be forgotten with the passage of time. Moreover, the day was made in hopes of increasing the acceptance and support of organ donation from civil society so that all walks of life are inspired to make this big display of love.